Dutch police officer stabbed, attacker shot

It’s hard to believe sometimes that there is a world that exists away from coronavirus. Yet, in a departure from pandemic news, a Dutch police officer has been stabbed in an unexpected attack this afternoon. 

The attack took place in the town of Haghorst, southeast of Tilburg. Police received a report around 12:30 pm that a man was walking around with knives.

When police officers arrived at the scene, the 22-year-old man from Poland stabbed one of the officers. Police officers fired a warning shot, hoping to stop the attacker, but he persisted. Police officers then shot directly at the suspect in an attempt to apprehend him.

Bij een incident in Haghorst is woensdagmiddag een schot gelost door de politie, een verdachte is hierbij gewond geraakt. Ook de betrokken agent is gewond geraakt bij dit incident. https://t.co/9TwHnZ12XM

— Politie Tilburg eo (@Politie_Tilburg) April 22, 2020

The attacker was transported to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The police officer who was stabbed is reported to be “slightly injured” and has been treated in hospital.

State police and forensics teams are now on-site to investigate the incident.

In the Netherlands, police officers can shoot to arrest a suspect thought to have committed a serious offence like armed robbery, attempted manslaughter, or murder.

Police officers are trained in a tactic called “apprehension fire,” where they first shoot a suspects legs. If the situation is so serious that there is a risk of death for bystanders or the police officer, the agent can aim at the suspect’s upper body instead.

Feature Image: Oxyman/Wikimedia Commons